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Roanoke & N.C.: Two Deeply American Mysteries
William Wolfrum: "Just Forget Everything" & Accountability
The Arizona "Immigration" Law
By Doctor Cleveland on Sat, 04/24/2010 - 6:42pm | Politics, Social JusticeLet's be clear about one thing: the Arizona immigration law signed by Governor Janice Brewer this week is not about illegal immigrants. It is about arresting legal immigrants and about American citizens. Because it makes not having your documents on you a crime.
It makes anyone not carrying proof of immigration status liable to arrest for, among other things, trespassing. (Anyone in Arizona without an ID card is now imagined as a trespasser.) That isn't about reducing illegal immigration, and it won't be effective at doing so. But it will make it almost impossible not to arrest law-abiding citizens who don't happen to have documents with them. Those people wll eventually be released. But first they will be booked, and need bail money. The law creates a new class of second-class citizens.
As far as the bill's sponsors are concerned that's not a bug. It's a feature.
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by Larry Jankens on Sun, 04/25/2010 - 4:41am